


Passing Clouds

by Dark_Violet



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Angst, Bottom Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Fluff and Smut, M/M, PWP, Smut, Top Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani, just a bit, very vague resemblance of plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:29:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25608916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Violet/pseuds/Dark_Violet
Summary: Everybody knows that the best thing about fighting with your boyfriend is the make-up sex
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 18
Kudos: 381





	Passing Clouds

A few months after what was now generally remembered as the Merrick disaster, the team had more or less adapted to the new formation, with Booker out, Nile in, and Andy efficient and dangerous as always, but less frequently on the field, a constant but necessary reminder of her newfound mortality.

This, together with the memory of the love of his life used as a lab rat, had made Joe vaguely more nervous and often more protective of Nicky, even if he was careful to not show it too openly. Nicky was perfectly capable of looking after himself and everybody else on the team, if necessary, and Joe didn't want to diminish his skills in the least, however he couldn't help but worry. It was mostly because, on the contrary, Nicky seemed now more reckless than before. Joe trusted him blindly, verybody's safety, together with the success of the mission, were always Nicky's priority, however sometimes he took risks that Joe considered not necessary and as soon as they were alone and safe he kindly pointed it out to him. Nicky tended to minimize, though, and that only increased Joe's concern.

One day, despite himself, Joe had confirmation that his fears were indeed valid. They were all on a pretty easy mission, at least compared to the previous ones, but Nicky went dangerously close to dying falling from a scaffold several meters high. They were pursuing a group of terrorist in an abandoned building out of Bucarest, and one of them sneaked up behind his back and pushed him before anybody had time to shoot.

Had it been just an accident? Joe asked himself. Nicky was good but he wasn't infallible, just like all of them, yet Joe had to wonder when was the last time that somebody had managed to surprise Nicky like that. He got up pretty soon, though, and was operative once again in no time. Until later, when just before retiring, he took a bullet straight in the face. While this wasn't necessarily a rarity, they all got shot quite often, after all, the problem was that the bullet had been aimed at Joe, and that Joe, probably, could've avoided being hit in the first place. Nicky had been too fast to intervene, though, and something inside Joe snapped.

In the end they accomplished the mission anyway, Nicky managed to get to the car they were going to flee on on his own feet, even though Joe almost had to drag him, confused and lost as he was in the few instants after coming back.

Joe sat behind the wheel, with Andy on the passenger seat, but his eyes were on Nicky; through the rearview mirror he kept on checking on him as if he couldn't believe that he was really ok. He did it so often that at some point Andy had to grab the wheel and steer suddenly to avoid a head-on crash.

"Do you want me to drive?" She asked in a neutral tone.

Joe sighed with his heart still beating fast. "No, sorry boss," he said feeling guilty. She wouldn't have survived an accident at that speed, and neither would the people in the car coming from the other side of the road.

From the back seat Nicky reached out and squeezed his shoulder, as if wanting to reassure him that everything was fine, Joe looked up in the mirror one last time and met his lover's puzzled gaze, then focused on driving once and for all and said nothing more. After a few minutes the tension seemed to fade and when they arrived home Nicky and Nile were chatting as if they were on a trip, while Andy sat perfectly relaxed.

She had been the one to find the safe house where they would stop and rest for a few days. It was a large villa in the wonderful Romanian countryside, close enough to the city to allow them to easily get food and everything else, but far enough to be quiet and peaceful.  
They had dinner with what she had offered to prepare, which meant that she'd opened tuna cans, washed salad and even sliced some cheese.

Nile and Nicky immediately teamed up to make fun of her non-existent cooking skills.

"Believe me, Nile, that's safer," Nicky said pointing at an empty can. "Andy's cooking is more lethal than her blade." Then he put his hand on Joe's thigh and felt him tense.

Nicky didn't like it, he was far too silent, something was definitely wrong, but Nile snorted in her wine, and Andy showed him the middle finger, doing her best, and failing, at holding back a laugh, so Nicky's attention returned to them for the time being. Then, since he was wolfing down his food despite his previous statement, Nile added "you're so reckless, Nicky."

"Yeah," Joe said with a smile that was a little too sharp. It was almost the first time he had spoken since they'd gotten home. Nile paid no particular attention to him, Andy instead looked up at him with inquiring eyes but said nothing.

Nicky, for his part, found the implication of those words quite irritating. "I can take care of myself," he said smiling at Nile while patting Joe on the shoulder, maybe a little too hard. It was apparently just a random comment, but they'd had the same discussion many times already, so the only thing he accomplished was to piss Joe off more. His low-key condescending behavior didn't help either.

Joe had more than something to say on the matter, but he wasn't sure it would be of any use since Nicky kept ignoring his words to the point of getting himself killed in Joe's place. A few minutes after falling from a building, and right in front of his eyes.

Joe placed a hand on the table with a little too much energy, then. "I'm tired, I think I'll go to sleep," he said and without waiting for an answer he went upstairs.

"Alright," Nicky said trying to feign nonchalance. "Ladies, I'll take care of the dishes, you go to rest."

At that point the message was clear to everyone. The evening was over and it wasn't bad because they were all exhausted. Nicky was tired too, but he wasn't going to confront Joe for a while yet. He knew that his lover was very protective, and he always found the thing endearing, but he wanted to be able to return the favor, and didn't like to be treated as a brat, unable to choose for himself. This was something Joe had never done in the past, and it was quite annoying.

Picking up the clue, Nicky clearly didn't want to talk about it, whatever it was, Andy and Nile went to sit in the garden for a while, to enjoy the cool night air. Sitting on the deck chair, Nile looked up at the balcony of Joe and Nicky's room.

“What the hell did just happen?”

“Just a lovers' quarrel”

"You think they'll be fine?"

"They always are, don't worry," Andy replied with a small smile. She didn't envy what Joe and Nicky had the way Booker had envied it, actually she found their unwavering love reassuring, but she knew that from time to time some small accident happened. It was normal, it remained only to be seen how long it would last this time, her boys knew how to be stubborn.

More than half an hour had passed when Nile decided to go back inside, and when she did, she found Nicky still in the kitchen, with a towel in his hand, stroking the edge of the sink which was already sparkling clean. It was clear that he couldn't have taken all that time just to wash a few dishes.

Seeing Joe and Nicky together on a daily basis made it almost impossible to even consider the possibility that they could be mad at each other. Yet here was Nicky, clearly avoiding Joe, and she didn't want to intrude, but now she was worried despite Andy's words. She approached him, put a hand on his shoulder and said, "hey, are you okay?"

As if her voice had just brought him back to reality he answered mechanically, "I'm fine," which was sort of true. Nothing too serious had happened, but Joe's coldness had left a bad taste in his mouth.

"If you need backup give me a shout" Nile said, but it was just a joke to keep things light. She didn't even know what was going on exactly, albeit she had guessed, more or less, but she knew for sure that Joe couldn't possibly put Nicky in the position of needing help.

"Thank you, I'll manage. Probably." Nicky's tone was light and playful as well. Whatever the problem was between himself and Joe, it was up to them to solve it and he'd never ask her to take his side regardless. Nor would Nile ever do that. She loved them both and if she had offered her help to Nicky it was only because she had run into him first.

"I'll keep some Andy tuna bomb ready. Just in case. More dangerous than any other weapon on the market, right?"

"I can hear you, you idiots," Andy said as she came inside, but of course she wasn't in the least offended.

The other two laughed heartily and this made Nicky feel better. Maybe he had lost a brother, at least for the next several decades, but he still had two sisters. And also a boyfriend with whom he hoped to make peace soon, the irritation from before had already faded away, and he could now better understand how Joe felt.

The girls also went to bed, then, and Nicky finally had to admit he didn't have any more reasons to stall. He went upstairs with no idea of how the discussion would go, because there would definitely be one. While he could understand Joe's concern, after so many centuries he expected him to know that he wouldn't just watch him die if he could do something to avoid it.

He finally went upstairs, the house was huge, and so where the rooms, there was enough space for a TV and a couch that was currently empty, even if the TV was on. Nicky found Joe on the balcony, where the man was intent on looking at the surrounding countryside, even if it was dark already, with his forearms on the railing and a pensive look on his face.

Nicky joined him, almost hesitantly now, it never happened that Joe didn't welcome him with a smile, a look, or a kind word. This time, instead, he didn't even look at him, and that made Nicky feel as if he'd swallowed a brick. Unsure about what to do or say, he leaned against the railing too and after a few instants he gave the other man a tiny kiss on the shoulder.

Joe sighed and lowered his head, then straightened up and stroked his cheek. "Go to bed, Nicky, I'll take the couch." He spoke those words in a voice that sounded both tired and sad, then went back inside to sit in front of the TV leaving Nicky on the balcony with a black hole in his chest. Was it really that bad, then? He still though that Joe was overreacting, but he just couldn't bear to see him like that, weary, almost defeated, because of him nonetheless. Even less he liked the idea of having to spend the night alone and not only for egoistical reasons. He knew how much Joe hated it, and how much he hated to fight in the first place. 

There was no way Nicky could to go to bed, now. He refused to end the day like that. It was clear, however, that Joe wasn't ready to talk yet. He sat down on the cold balcony's floor, then, with his back against the wall, and thought for a long time about what had happened, trying for the first time to truly understand Joe's point of view. Nicky had always trusted him and his judgment, so maybe his lover had a point after all.

After an hour of sitting in the cold he eventually made up his mind. Maybe he'd still spend the night alone, he wouldn't have liked it but he'd have done it if this was what Joe wanted, but there was something really important he'd to say first.

He went inside hoping to find Joe still awake, and if not ready to talk, at least willing to listen. The warmth of the room was a pleasant caress that relaxed his muscles which were far too tense, considering that he was with the person who made him feel safer than anybody else in the world. At least Joe was still on the couch, apparently watching TV. When Nicky got closer he looked at him with a slightly distant look that Nicky didn't like at all.

He hated fighting precisely for that reason: even when they were miles and miles away on some mission, Joe was able to make him feel loved beyond measure, and he gladly did the same, but fighting created a distance between them that felt insurmountable even if they were in the same room, and that hurt Nicky more than anything else, regardless of who was right. It was scary to be without Joe, even if rationally Nicky knew that a stupid argument couldn't possibly be enough for them to stop loving eachother.

Luckily it happened very rarely.

He knelt between Joe's legs, then, took the remote control from his hand and turned the TV off.

"Nicky..." Joe said with a small frown and just a bit of impatience in his voice, it was already something that he wasn't sending him away, though, so Nicky gently put two fingers on his lips.

"I'm sorry Joe," he said, totally honest. "I'm sorry I disappointed you." The instant those words came out of his lips, Joe's eyes widened as if he'd been punched in the gut. It wasn't what he'd been expecting and it felt completely wrong. He took Nicky's hand and placed a small kiss on the tip of his fingers, "you fool, you could never, ever disappoint me."

The love in his voice, the strength of his words and his warm hand, so comfortable, so familiar, were such an immense relief for Nicky it was almost too much. He hadn't even been aware of how much he'd needed to hear something like that. He rested his head on Joe's legs, already happy like that, happy to be able to stay, and that the other man was talking to him.

"I'm still sorry," he said because that was the main point, "forgive me, please."

Joe had been really worried and yes, he could admit it, even a little angry but his anger was melting like snow under the sun. Nicolò, his Nicky, possessed a dangerous amount of an innate sweetness that he wasn't even aware of, and that came out only when they were alone, only for Joe. It was just how Nicky was, deep down, kind and caring and surely he wasn't trying to “buy” forgiveness with pleasantries, such a thought would never even cross his mind and Joe had to make an effort not to simply grab him by the shoulders and kiss him senseless. He too had something important to say first.

He took his lover's face in his hands so that they could look into each other's eyes, "I don't like it when you take useless risks, Nicky, and it hurts me to see you die, surely you understand that?"

Nicky sighed, "I do, and I never meant to hurt you, but in our line of work it happens, it always has.”

“Not so frequently. You were more careful, before.”

“Joe, you can't really expect me to just stand by and watch when people try to kill you."

"This is not what I'm saying and you know it,” Joe said with still a trace of hardness in his voice. Then, more gently, he added “by the way, you can't really expect me to be happy to see you die in my place."

This time Nicky couldn't argue. It happened, sometimes, that Joe took his punches, or bullets, or whatever, and Nicky hated it, but since it was nothing but a necessary evil, he tried not to give it too much thought. Yet what had happened that day didn't exactly fall into the category of necessary evil. Maybe. Probably. Now, with a clear head he could admit it as well. That was the kind of conversation that could go around in circles forever, though, if they didn't somehow meet on common ground. He leaned in Joe's chest, then, deciding that it was up to him after all, if nothing else for having downplayed his lover's worries. "I'll be more careful, I promise," he said, “it’s all I can offer.”

Joe kissed his hair then, "Okay, that's all I'm asking."

Still a little hesitant, as if in need of absolute certainty, Nicky looked up, with his chin now resting on Joe's stomach. "Am I forgiven, then?"

Those eyes, oh those eyes, so open and honest and full of love were able to cut Joe's breath every single time. "Yes, my heart, always. And Nicky, don't think even for a moment that I don't trust your ability or that I'm not grateful."

"I know. Hold me now, please, I'm cold."

Joe didn't need to be told twice, there was nothing he wanted more, so he took Nicky in his arms and held him tight. "Of course you are, you silly boy, I told you to go to bed."

"I didn't want to sleep alone."

Joe sighed and held him a little tighter, he hated making Nicky feel bad for any reason. "Maybe I was too hard on you, I'm sorry."

"It's ok, I deserved it."

Joe wasn't so sure any more about who deserved what, but it didn't matter, after all. They were safe, they were together, the storm had already passed and they were into each other's arms again. "I missed you," he purred nibbling at Nicky's ear, making him shiver, and this time not from the cold.

"I missed you too" Nicky said, lifting his chin as if to offer his neck to his lover. And as incredibly cheesy and sappy as it was, it was also absolutely true. Their fight hadn't lasted three hours, yet it had been three horrible hours for them both.

Determined to make up for lost time, but even more in need of the comfort that only physical contact could give him, Nicky put his hands on Joe's hips, under his shirt, raising the hem enough to be able to pepper his stomach and ribs with small kisses. Then he went gradually lower, stopping only when he reached the rim of Joe's pants, to look up and find his lover's eyes dark and intense, and full of desire.

Joe said nothing, he couldn't speak and his pants were already too tight, but he nodded, giving Nicky the permission he was silently asking for. And how not to? How to deny anything to those wonderful eyes that looked at him full of lust and so much adoration that after centuries Joe still wasn't sure he deserved?

Without ever looking away, Nicky unbuttoned Joe's belt and buttons, then drove out his already erect cock and took it in his mouth all at once. The only thing Joe could do was to recline his head on the back of the couch with a groan of pure pleasure, and try his best to keep his hips still. Nicky, however, seemed perfectly in control of the situation, sucking avidly as if weeks had passed since the last time, while it had been barely a few days.

Eventually Joe gave in and grabbed Nicky's hair, but managed to restrain himself. Still the pull of his hand only turned Nicky on more, and he unbuttoned his pants as well to touch himself. He never lost eye contact with Joe, igniting his desire even more with each passing moment.

"Wait," Joe said at some point, panting. "Abibi, wait" he said petting Nicky's hair. Although reluctantly, Nicky released him. Before he could say anything Joe spoke again, "I want to come inside you."

Nicky's brain short-circuited, that voice, those words, the way Joe was looking at him, he was already incredibly turned on and it was just too much. He closed his eyes for a moment as if to collect himself, it was a small miracle that he didn't finish where he was, kneeling on the floor, full dressed and before even starting. "Yes, please Yusuf, yes."

Not much more coherent, Joe got up immediately, taking him by the hand. They reached the bed in a few steps, kicking off their shoes and getting rid of their clothes just before collapsing on it. They kissed for a long time, hungrily, deeply, touching each other wherever their hands could reach. Then Nicky turned on his stomach, offering himself while rolling his hips slowly on the mattress in an attempt to relieve his hardened cock. 

It was such an erotic vision that Joe thought he'd soon go crazy with desire. "So eager" he said fondly, admiring the perfect curve of his lover's ass, the expanse of his shoulders and his absurdly smooth skin. He was perfect, and he was his, and Joe was already anticipating the moment he'd bury his own length in that incredible warm body, but he took his time to stroke Nicky's long legs, up and down, from the knees to the buttocks.

"Joe ti prego, voglio sentirti dentro," Nicky begged, as much as he loved Joe's big hands, now he truly needed to feel him inside.

"Hush, hayeti, I don't want to hurt you," so saying Joe deposited small kisses along his spine, then retrieved the lube from the nightstand. It was so hard to resist when Nicky was like that, so needy, so willing, but Joe didn't really feel like rushing things, that night. He wanted Nicky to be properly ready for a long night of love making, he felt like they both needed it after hurting each other.

A shiver run through Nicky's body when he heard the telltale pop of the lube's cap being open. The long awaited moment had come and he shamelessly bent his knee to offer his lover a better access. Joe deposited a last, tiny kiss on the small of his back, then opened his buttocks further with his hands, almost reverently, as if he was about to discover a hidden treasure, and in a sense it was just like that, he'd always been the only one allowed to such an intimacy and he was proud of it. He blew gently on the pink, little hole, Nicky blushed furiously and hid his face in the pillow, but he couldn't help pushing his hips when a wet finger entered him.

It still wasn't enough and Nicky managed to be patient only because Joe had asked him, so that he could open him properly, until he was absolutely sure that Nicky would feel nothing but pleasure. When he deemed him finally ready Joe brushed the small hole with the tip of his cock, then pushed slowly, until it was completely buried in the warm grip that was his lover's magnificent ass. Always so tight, and yet always so ready to take him till the last inch.

"Joe... Yusuf,” Nicky moaned. Feeling so full made him feel loved, taken care of, and there wasn't another sensation in the world that turned him more, so he asked for more, more skin, more contact, and more kisses, many more kisses. He could never have enough of the man he loved with every fiber of his being, and Joe was more than happy to give him everything he had. He fucked Nicky slow and deep, almost lazily, taking his time and blanketing his whole body with his own. Never stopped kissing Nicky's jaw and neck, and gently nibbling his shoulder, Joe slipped an hand under Nicky's body and grabbed his cock as well.

To go to bed without making peace first, to sleep alone, it now felt like pure folly to Nicky, and he was sure that Joe would've thought the same, if only he'd been coherent enough. But Joe was too far gone, lost in a world of pleasure, whispering sweet nonsense to his ear, so Nicky just lay there, docile and pliant, letting his lover take all the time he wanted to enjoy his body. He was proud, somehow, to be the only one able to give him so much pleasure, had it gone on like that until down, he would've been perfectly content, but then Joe changed the angle of the penetration, as if on a whim, hitting the knot of nerves inside his body and making him moan shamelessly.

“Ah, Joe, God!”

“My love, are you alright?” Joe asked, with barely a hint of humor in his voice.

“Yes, yes, do it again”

“And here I thought you were falling asleep.”

Even like that, pressed on the bed under his man's weight, stretched open and painfully hard, Nicky couldn't help laughing. “You jerk” he said, managing to make the insult sound like an endearment.

Joe laughed as well, then kissed the nape of Nicky's neck as if to make it up for having taken him by surprise.

Now Nicky's impatience was growing again, though, together with his arousal. He pushed his hips into Joe's groin, clenching his muscles while clutching the sheets in his hands. He didn't need to say anything else, Joe already knew what he wanted so he sat back on his own heels and dragged Nicky with him, grabbing his hips in a hard grip. His thrusts then became faster, even deeper, his movements more uncoordinated, until he couldn't hold back anymore and came with a groan, bringing Nicky with him towards absolute pleasure.

Nicky climax was powerful as well, and he had to stifle a cry in the pillow, then he went limp on the bed, still trembling in the aftermath of an incredible orgasm, while Joe carefully slid out of his body and lay down on him again.

After a few long seconds, when Nicky finally seemed able to move again, Joe let him turn on his back but didn't go far; he the stood there, leaning on his elbow simply looking at Nicky, completely enraptured by his beauty.

Nicky raised a hand, then, tracing Joe's features with his fingertips, "Dio mio, ti amo così tanto."

After all that time, after years and centuries, every declaration of love still made Joe's heart skip a beat. "I love you too, Nicolò,” he said in a trembling voice, “sometimes I fear I'll never be able to tell you how much."

Nicky kissed the tip of his nose, "your love shines so bright, you really don't need to tell me anything," he said, and it was true. Joe could take his breath away with every word he spoke, but even those didn't compare with the love in his beautiful eyes.

Tired, but completely sated, Joe did as he was told, for once he gave up on expressing his love with words and just rested his head on Nicky's shoulder.

“You sure you're ok?” Nicky asked after a while, bringing back, albeit just for a moment, the unpleasant memory of their fight. He needed to be sure, though, sex couldn't always fix everything. Sadly.

Joe kissed his cheek, “I'm fine,” he said, and it was true, “you?”

Nicky nodded, but at the same time he couldn't hold back a yawn. Joe raised a brow at that, and propped himself up on the elbow again. "Am I boring you?" He asked grinning.

Nicky snorted, “you couldn't if you tried, but you worn me out, that's for sure."

Joe chuckled as well, then moved to the still unused part of the bed, pulling Nicky towards himself. "Come here, you can rest, now," he said.

Nicky immediately accepted the invitation, turning on his side and settling comfortably against the warm chest of his lover, who promptly wrapped his arm around his waist.

And if that night Joe's embrace was a little tighter and more possessive than usual, Nicky surely didn't complain.

**Author's Note:**

> \- "Dio mio, ti amo così tanto" --> "My God I love you so much"  
> \- "Joe ti prego, voglio sentirti dentro" --> "Joe please, I want to feel you inside"
> 
> Yes, I just wanted to write smutty stuff


End file.
